The completion of the ‘Human Genome’ project in 2003 which revealed the sequence of all 3 billion bases of the human DNA has enabled a large number of applications in medical diagnostics, prognostics, therapeutics and more. Many of these rely on re-sequencing part or all of the genome of individuals, creating a need for reliable, fast and affordable DNA sequencing technologies.
In an effort to address this need, several different technologies had been developed in the last few years and new generations of sequencing systems have emerged. All of these new systems are grouped under the Next Generation Sequencing title to distinguish them from the first generation technologies used until and within the ‘Human Genome’ project (1990-2003).
The most advanced of these Next Generation Sequencing approaches employ solid surfaces (e.g., chips, beads, nanopores etc.) for sequencing reactions. Such surfaces enable lower reagent volume, higher multiplexing, higher accuracy and repeatability and simpler protocols, all of which are critical for meeting the stringent requirements of Next Generation Sequencing.
There remains a pressing need for improved systems for Next Generation Sequencing. An ideal system would provide increased sensitivity, eliminate or reduce washing steps and simplify integration with microfluidic technologies. The present invention satisfies this need and provides related advantages.